


We Shall Draw From The Heart

by Fritti13



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Spoilers, What happens now?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 17:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14477847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fritti13/pseuds/Fritti13
Summary: Nebula considers this strange man, this 'Iron Man', as she prepares to take him back to Earth. He is much, much more than he seems.





	We Shall Draw From The Heart

“We shall draw from the heart  
of suffering itself the means of  
inspiration and survival.”

-Winston Churchill

 

Nebula was not a patient woman, but for this man, this warrior, she waited. She watched as he gazed blankly into the distance, shock and grief writ large upon his hollow eyed face. Finally, however, she knelt beside the traumatized man.

“Stark, we must go. The Guardians were here, so The Benatar must be nearby. Come, I will take you back to Earth.”

Tony stirred sluggishly and his mind, skittering away from the memory of Peter's frightened face, latched on to inconsequential details.

“Where's your ship?” he murmured dazedly.

A small smile graced Nebula's face.

“Apparently you can survive my Father throwing a moon at you, but my ship cannot.” She reached down to assist the human to stand, and felt compelled to offer some comfort. “I am sorry about your son.”

Tony flinched, but didn't correct her. Instead he paused a moment, finding a small mound of ash still remaining on the ground, all that was left of Peter. Reaching forth a finger, he commanded the nanobots to form a small capsule around the ash. He would put some of the ash in an amulet to wear around his neck, he decided and, if May had survived, make one for her, too. He would carry Peter with him in this one small way, for the rest of his life.

Nebula helped Tony to his feet and he shuddered as he came upright. Thanos may have let him live, for now, but a sharp spike of pain still shot through his abdomen and chest. Thanos had only healed him just enough to keep his promise not to kill him outright and, for the moment, nanobots were keeping the bleeding to a minimum. He didn't know if it was nanobots that had been shoved through his body by the weapon Thanos had wielded or if it was alien microbes on the spear itself (a spear of his own fucking making, no less), but something didn't feel right. The wound felt fevered and … wrong. He'd been run through, impaled, so he wasn't surprised that his insides were scrambled, but there was something else going on that he didn't have the energy to think about now. 

Tony looked about him, at the desolation, the devastation, and it seemed to fit his soul. Nebula tugged at his arm gently and began to lead him away. He looked to her.

“What do we do now?” he whispered.

She glanced at him before focusing on guiding him around the debris ridden plain. 

“My Father knew you. This is most unusual, for you are only an Earther, a human, a short-lived mortal. I find this significant. From the far reaches of space, the Mad Titan knew your name and laid his hand on you in benediction. That he respects you, respects your intellect, tells me much. The mage...”

“Sorcerer...” Tony muttered. Nebula ignored him and went on.

“The mage would not have given up his stone, I think, for you or anyone, but he said this was the only way. Why would he say that? Did he know something?” she turned to look at the man stumbling beside her.

“I … I don't know.” he muttered tiredly. “He said he'd seen over 14 million versions of reality and only one version where we won.”

Nebula frowned, one eyebrow raising. She caught sight of The Benatar in the distance and corrected their course slightly to head for it. 

“One version out of 14 million and he gave up the Time Stone in order that you might live?” She glanced at him again, this time in wonder. “Stark, I think you are more important than I first imagined.”

Tony laughed bitterly. 

“I am nothing. Less than nothing.” He wanted to be home. He wanted Pepper (Oh God, Pepper! What if... no he couldn't even complete that thought). He wanted his Rhodey and Bruce. Hell, he even wanted Steve. 

“What will you do, once you've returned me to my home?” Tony questioned his companion, when her silence went on a moment too long. They had come to The Benatar and paused before entering. She turned to him.

“I hope that some of the Guardians have survived but, even if they have, I think my greater purpose lies with you. I will guard you, Tony Stark, for you are my new mission. I do not believe, as you do, that you are 'nothing'. I think my Father fears you. I think that the mage knew that you are the only one who can fix what my Father has done.” She regarded him for one more moment before adding softly.

“I think that you are our Savior.”

*Note: This is a one shot. Please, please feel free to continue it (just pay homage to the original) or use it as inspiration for your own fics.

**Author's Note:**

> The name of The Guardian's ship used to be The Milano (after 80's teen heartthrob Alyssa Milano) but, in Infinity War, he has a new ship, The Benatar (after, of course, Pat Benatar). I didn't know this when I first wrote this, so this fic has been edited to correct that.
> 
> Update Dec 2018: Oh hey! Look at that. The sequel I said I'd never write? It's right here.  
> [Let Us Not Be Content](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17008932)


End file.
